- Jan 13, 2013
- 24
- 11
So, I've been digging myself deeper in this hellhole hailed Hammer; I've got a respectible-ish 15 hours down on Source SDK, and my first map is coming along, if incredibly crudely. I served myself well to read dozens upon dozens of tutorials on intentionality and architecting vast sweeps of combat like a conductor guides an orchestra. I planned out my map using flowcharts and graph paper. I created what I believe to be a solid concept fit for a map.
Looking back:
On the bright side, I know how to use brushes.
On the flipside, my blocking is barbaric, my displacements disastrous, my scaling seriously sucks, and my 'optimization' is simply obnoxious.
I personally can finally feel somewhat comfortable calling my map _a1, though it's not as far along as other first alphas. It's got spawns, brushes, working control points, but it lacks props, detailing, lighting, and textures (however much I wanted to avoid 'orange syndrome' I couldn't focus on building a map, texturing properly, and learning hammer, all at once.
I'm torn: I feel like I should set up a thread for the map so I can gather feedback and (more importantly) get tips on how to implement things in Hammer, but I also feel like my map may be beyond saving and I should move on to another concept. I'd like to get some input on what I should do from here.
Also, I just realized how to use ABS' Prop Library and such (I thought it superseded the model viewer and didn't realize it was a vmf in and of itself), so I'd like to take the opportunity to praise ABS profusely:
Looking back:
On the bright side, I know how to use brushes.
On the flipside, my blocking is barbaric, my displacements disastrous, my scaling seriously sucks, and my 'optimization' is simply obnoxious.
I personally can finally feel somewhat comfortable calling my map _a1, though it's not as far along as other first alphas. It's got spawns, brushes, working control points, but it lacks props, detailing, lighting, and textures (however much I wanted to avoid 'orange syndrome' I couldn't focus on building a map, texturing properly, and learning hammer, all at once.
I'm torn: I feel like I should set up a thread for the map so I can gather feedback and (more importantly) get tips on how to implement things in Hammer, but I also feel like my map may be beyond saving and I should move on to another concept. I'd like to get some input on what I should do from here.
Also, I just realized how to use ABS' Prop Library and such (I thought it superseded the model viewer and didn't realize it was a vmf in and of itself), so I'd like to take the opportunity to praise ABS profusely:
When it comes to utility, you
help us save so much labor undue;
The source of our salve
doesn't come with a Valve;
But the breathtaking work of A Boo-